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Protecting Veteran Community Care Act
3/14/2024, 3:45 AM
Summary of Bill HR 3554
One of the key provisions of the bill is to streamline the process for veterans to access community care by eliminating the 30-day wait time requirement and allowing veterans to seek care from non-VA providers if they face a wait time of more than 20 days or live more than 40 miles away from a VA facility. This is intended to ensure that veterans can receive timely and convenient care, regardless of their location.
Additionally, the bill aims to improve coordination between the VA and non-VA providers by establishing a single set of criteria for determining eligibility for community care and creating a standardized referral process. This is intended to reduce confusion and ensure that veterans receive the care they need in a timely manner. Overall, the Protecting Veteran Community Care Act is designed to enhance access to healthcare for veterans and improve the quality of care they receive. By streamlining the process for accessing community care and improving coordination between the VA and non-VA providers, the bill seeks to ensure that veterans receive the care they need when they need it.
Congressional Summary of HR 3554
Protecting Veteran Community Care Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish residential mental health or substance-use services to certain veterans through the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP). Specifically, the VA must furnish such care if a veteran (1) meets VA criteria for priority admission to a VA Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program and the VA is unable to accommodate priority admission, or (2) has contacted the VA to request such mental health services and the VA is not able to furnish such services in a manner that complies with VA access standards for specialty care provided under the VCCP.
The VA must ensure that a referral to an alternate Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program does not take precedence over timely access to mental health or substance-use services unless the referral is requested by the veteran.
The VA is prohibited from determining a veteran is ineligible for VCCP care solely because VCCP providers are unable to comply with wait times or access standards.
If multiple options for care or services are available, the VA must permit a veteran to elect the option the veteran prefers.
Additionally, the bill provides minimum standards for residential mental health or substance-use services provided under the VCCP (e.g., treatment programs or facilities must be licensed and accredited for the specified services).
